Fire alarm

ABSTRACT

A fire warning device includes detachably connectable shell parts ( 1,2 ) which when brought together are mutually united to form a shell or casing ( 3 ) which houses a fire sensor ( 20 ), alarm emitter ( 21 ) and a power source ( 22 ). The shell ( 3 ) being provided with fire warning device suspension means ( 8, 9; 16, 17 ). The suspension means ( 8, 9; 16, 17 ) is comprised of a friction anchoring device disposed in the region of the border surface or interface ( 6 ) between the two shell parts ( 1,2 ) when the shell is closed. The friction anchoring device is disposed in a passageway that extends between two mutually opposite ends ( 4,5 ) of the closed shell and enables the shell to be closed around a rod, cable or chain that carries a light fitting, while connecting the cable, rod or chain to the friction anchoring device for suspending the fire warning device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fire warning device.

The invention thus relates to a fire warning device of the kind whichincludes two shell parts, or shell parts, that can be detachably unitedto form a shell or shell that houses the sensor, alarm emitter and powersource of the warning device, said shell being provided with means whichenable the device to be suspended in the room of a building.

Such fire warning device are normally fitted high up in the room of abuilding, for instance high up on a wall or to the ceiling of said room.

Many house owners or apartment dwellers find the work of fitting suchfire warning device in the prescribed and preferred position difficultto carry out. One further, troublesome drawback is that the walls andceilings of dwelling places are often comprised of hard material (suchas concrete) or of a fragile, weak material. Drawbacks of this naturehave often caused the occupants of houses, apartments and other dwellingplaces to refrain from acquiring and fitting a fire warning device,against their better judgment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a fire warning devicethat includes a means of suspension that greatly facilitates andsimplifies fitting of the fire warning device in a correct or acceptableposition in a dwelling place. Another object of the invention is toprovide a fire warning device that includes a suspension means that doesnot require the use of fasteners and obviates the need ofdrilling/plugging surfaces on which the device is to be fastened and ofdriving fasteners (screwing or nailing) into such surfaces and whichdoes not require the use of adhesive device for suspending the firewarning device.

The object of the invention is thus to provide a fire warning devicethat includes suspension means that will not damage the ceilings,interior wall surfaces on which the fire warning device is hung, noteven when moving the fire warning device to a different location.

These objects are achieved in accordance with the invention, by means ofthe fire warning device that includes detachably connectable shell partswhich when united form a shell. The shell houses a fire sensor, an alarmemitter and a power source. The shell is also provided with suspensionmeans. The suspension means comprises a friction anchoring devicedisposed in the region of a boundary surface or interface between thetwo shell parts when the two shell parts are united. Additionally, thefriction anchoring device is disposed in a passageway that extendsbetween two mutually opposite ends of the closed shell, such as toenable the shell to be closed around a rod, cable or chain that carriesa light fitting whilst connecting the cable, rod or chain to thefriction anchoring device for suspending the fire warning device.

The fire warning device is a split shell structure that includes twoparts which can be detachably united and which when joined together forman enclosure which houses the sensor, alarm emitter and power source ofthe fire warning device. The means for suspending the fire warningdevice includes friction anchoring means disposed in the boundarysurface or interface between the two connectable shell parts, saidfriction anchoring means being adapted to frictionally clamp the shellhalves together while clamping a chain, rod or cable that carries alighting fixture, such as to support the fire warning device on saidcable, rod or chain.

In one embodiment, the friction anchoring device may consist of aplastic foam band or strap into which the cable, rod or chain isembedded when bringing the shell parts together.

The inventive fire warning device can be fitted high up beneath aceiling quickly and easily, on a cable, chain or rod by means of which alight fitting is suspended from the ceiling.

In certain embodiments, the fire warning device may comprise twomutually identical shell halves which when joined together to form arotational-symmetrical body about an axis along which the cable, rod,chain, extends.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference toexemplifying embodiments thereof and also with reference to theaccompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is an end view of an inventive fire warning device.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the fire warning device.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an open fire warning device

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the fire warning device in aview corresponding to the view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates an inventive fire warning device fitted to thesuspension cable of a ceiling suspended light fitting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, itshould be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the inventive fire warning device includes anessentially closed shell or casing 3 that has openings 4, 5 at twoopposite ends thereof. The shell 3 is comprised of two mutuallyidentical shell halves 1, 2 which meet in a partition plane 6 thatincludes an axis 7 about which the shell 3 is essentiallyrotational-symmetrical. The shell 3 (the shell halves 1, 2) house thesensor, alarm emitter and power source (battery) of the fire warningdevice. Each shell half 1, 2 includes a foamed plastic strip 8, 9 thathas a delimiting surface in the opening plane of its respective shellhalf 1, 2, said opening plane coinciding with the parting line 6. Theillustrated shell halves 1, 2 are hinged together by hinge means 10 thatenables the shell halves 1, 2 to swing from the closed state shown inFIG. 1 to the open state shown in FIG. 3. Each of the shell halves 1, 2also includes a respective part 11, 12 of an openable catch means 13,for instance a snap-catch. The shell halves 1, 2 are brought togetherwhile clamping a cable 14 located between the springy, elastic layers 8,9 of foamed plastic, such as to anchor the fire warning device to thecable 14 by means of friction.

FIG. 5 shows that the fire warning device can be easily mounted in theproximity of a ceiling, on a cable 14 whose upper end hangs from saidceiling and there connected to an electric socket and which carries alamp at its other end.

Those surfaces of the foamed rubber strips or layers 8 and 9 whichco-act with the cable 14 may be located slightly above the opening planeof respective shell halves, so as to obtain greater abutment pressurewith the cable. It will be understood that one of the foamed strips 8, 9may be omitted and replaced with a supporting surface instead.

As an alternative to a foamed rubber strip, it is conceivable to usepegs which extend perpendicularly to said axis 7 in the path between theshell openings 4, 5, such as to form cable deflecting pegs asillustrated in FIG. 4. The pegs 16 can extend perpendicularly from asupporting plate 17 located slightly inwards of the parting line 6 inrespective shell halves. One advantage afforded by the embodiment shownin FIG. 4 is that it enables the fire warning device to be shape-bondedto a chain, by passing at least one of the pegs 16 through a chain linkcorresponding to the cable 14.

The plates 17 may, of course, be covered with a springy elastic materialthat provides the same function as the foamed plastic strips 8, 9 in theembodiment according to FIG. 3. The strips 8, 9 will preferably comprisea springy, elastic foamed rubber material or foamed plastic material,although the use of generally solid elastomeric materials is alsoconceivable.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fire warning device that includes detachablyconnectable shell parts which when united form a shell which houses afire sensor, an alarm emitter and a power source, and which is providedwith suspension means, said suspension means comprises a frictionanchoring device disposed in the region of a boundary surface orinterface between said two shell parts when the two shell parts areunited; and in that the friction anchoring device is disposed in apassageway that extends between two mutually opposite ends of the closedshell, such as to enable said shell to be closed around a rod, cable orchain that carries a light fitting whilst connecting the cable, rod orchain to the friction anchoring device for suspending the fire warningdevice.
 2. The fire warning device according to claim 1, wherein thefriction anchoring device comprises an element made from an elasticallydeformable and springy material and connected with one of said shellhalves and adapted to be compressively deformed by the cable, rod orchain when uniting said shell parts.
 3. The fire warning deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the friction anchoring device includespegs that extend transversely to the direction of said passageway, suchas to form a meandering pathway for a cable on which the fire warningdevice is hung.
 4. The fire warning device according to claim 1, whereinthe friction anchoring device includes an elastomeric element on each ofsaid shell parts, said elastomeric elements being positioned so as to becompressed against each other when the shell parts are brought togetherto form said shell, while clamping a cable, rod or chain therebetween.5. The fire warning shell according to claim 1, wherein said frictionanchoring device further comprising: elastically deformable and springymaterial connected to one of said shell parts and being compressivelydeformable.
 6. The fire warning shell according to claim 1, wherein saidfriction anchoring device further comprising: at least one peg extendingtransversely to the direction of said passageway and forming ameandering pathway for hanging said fire warning shell.
 7. The firewarning shell according to claim 1, wherein said friction anchoringdevice comprising: at least one elastomeric elements being positioned oneach of said shell parts and being compressed against each other whenthe shell parts are together forming said shell.
 8. The fire warningshell according to claim 1, wherein said friction anchoring devicecomprising: a plastic foam band.
 9. The fire warning shell according toclaim 1, wherein said friction anchoring device comprising: a plasticfoam strap.
 10. A fire warning device for suspending from an object suchas a cable, rod or chain, said device comprising: detachably andconnectable shell parts having a passageway extending between twomutually opposite ends of said shell when said shell parts areconnected; a fire sensor housed in said shell for sensing fire; an alarmemitter housed in said shell for emitting an alarm; a power sourcehoused in said shell for providing power; and a friction anchoringdevice positioned between the passageway for closing around said objectand anchoring the fire warning shell therefrom.
 11. A fire warning shellhaving a fire sensor, alarm emitter and a power source for suspendingfrom an object such as a cable, rod or chain, said shell comprising:detachably and connectable shell parts; and a friction anchoring devicedisposed on each of said two shell parts and extending between twomutually opposite ends of the shell for closing around said object andanchoring the fire warning shell therefrom.